The ramblings and musings of a crazy actor who teaches to pay the bills!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

To sleep, perchance to.....

Uh, no... not so much.

Went to have a sleep study last night. This was THE most uncomfortable, sleepless night I've spent in a LONG time. I don't EVER want to have to do it again!

They were supposed to have sent me some information (um, like, DIRECTIONS?!) before-hand. They did not, though I waited until yesterday afternoon! Tried to call, got no answer. So I spent over an hour trying to access their website, which didn't want to load. Finally, at least got the address!

The technician was alright. Wanted to take 'mug shots' which he promised would NOT end up on AMW! Then I had to fill out the 27 (!) page questionnaire. ACK!!!

There was a tv in each room, although why, I don't know, because as soon as he spent 45 minutes hooking me up to over 20 electrodes (all over your head, on your legs, one on your neck for snoring and two for the EKG), and putting the two belts on (do not ask me what those are for!) and putting TWO things in your nostrils to 'measure air flow' (Air flow? WHAT air flow? With those two humongous things in my nostrils, there's no ROOM for air!) AND the pulse ox meter, I got in bed, and they immediately turned it off.

Then they had to calibrate it which was kind of interesting-- asking you to do all sorts of things so they could measure and see if it was working.

At that point, I got to listen to ALL SORTS of noises as I tried to find SOME way to get comfortable. Between the light from the bathroom and the light from the heater, and the pulse ox meter that wasn't long enough and tried to strangle me, and the leg leads which tried to strangle my legs each time I moved, there weren't that many comfortable ways to lay. And since there was no radio to drown out the other noises, every time I did try to doze off, I'd hear something and be instantly awake. And since my nose was currently blocked, it was an adventure to try to breathe! Makes for a very restful sleep, no?

And, frankly, knowing that some stranger was watching me sleep was just... well.... creepy. I couldn't get that thought out of my mind. Like someone breaking into your room and standing over you watching you... just CREEPY.

I spent most of the night in that REALLY uncomfortable state between sleeping and waking.... and wondering WHEN someone was going to come in and tell me I could get up! However, since there was no CLOCK in the room, either, I had no way of telling what time it was or how much longer I was going to have to wait. When I heard someone's alarm clock, I knew I didn't have TOO much longer to wait.

Finally, FINALLY, the guy called me and told me I could get up-- first, we had to recalibrate, which meant going through all of the same stuff... look left, look right, blink, move your left leg...

I don't know what kind of tape he used, but OMG, when he pulled the tapes off, it HURT. OUCH!! But, finally, I was free. And had to answer a questionnaire before I could go, the first question of which was, "How many hours and minutes of sleep did you get?" Well, how the heck am I supposed to know, since you wouldn't give me a CLOCK?! SHEESH! And no dreams that I remember at all, which tells you how little real sleep I got.

He DID tell me I'd been awake since 4:45 (which meant I'd had to lay there for an HOUR before he finally freed me), and I guess I actually got about 4-5 hours, sort of. And was actually SHOCKED that I had woken up that early-- um, I normally have to get up at 5:30 (which he ALSO seemed unable to believe), so why would that be unusual when I'm so uncomfortable? But, um, yeah, if I want to get to work by 7:30, I have to be up by 5:30, since it takes at LEAST an hour to get to work from here. More, often, with traffic.

They had pastries and fruit and coffee, but I really honestly just wanted to get out of there. So I came home, and got a few hours of REAL sleep. And had to force myself to get out of bed at 10.

I surely hope I don't have to do this again!!!!!!!! But at least it's done. Thank goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!